lördag, november 17, 2007

The problems in Bangladesh after the tropical cyclon are tremendous. More than 900 fatalities are registred and now the authorities trie to find information concerning the remote parts of the country.

In connection to this catastroph (climate changes?) - one of many in this region - I heard something the other day that made me wonder concerning how easily we (or I) forget things.In 1990 or -91 there were a cyclon like this in Bangladesh killing more than 100 000 people according to the figures I heard. In 1970 there were another cyclon in Bangladesh then killing more than 500 000 people!I have forgotten this and that's a shame.If we compare to the terrorist attack in the United States - 9/11 2001 - people will continue talking about this for a long time but when it comes to areas like this, it's - as always - less interesting.Because they are not like us in the West? Because they die in great numbers anyway due to poverty or diseases?Whatever the reason is I think it could be appropriate to remind ourselves of these catastrophies from time to time.

What we can do? Send money to organizatons working in this area or engage ourselves personally. It's up to each and everyone to decide.By no means do I defend myself or suggest that I do more than others. Not at all. I have given money to different projects from time to time but that is all.

To discuss and talk about the problems for people in these regions is one way of focusing on more urgent problems than those we in the developed countries sometime tend to focus on.